The Academy's Team Competition Has Concluded
The Academy's team competition concluded successfully, despite a minor issue during the main event. They decided to acknowledge the mistake and declared a joint victory to move forward.
Now, only the most important part remained: determining the ranking rewards. Giving out cash prizes across the board lacked charm, so personalized gifts for each student were considered.
For Gordius, perhaps... a blueprint for a female android resembling Woo Chae-rin might suffice. His aesthetic sense is rather questionable, so providing a blueprint could prove beneficial for future interactions.
Now, what would be an appropriate reward for Baek Seol, the other champion?
Unable to decide alone, a Baek Seol expert was summoned. Despite their seemingly antagonistic relationship, Selvier, who cooperated with Baek Seol during the competition, was brought in for advice.
It had been about ten minutes since the message was sent, so she should be arriving soon...
Even after waiting an additional ten minutes, Selvier did not appear. She was much later than expected. Had something happened on the way, or was she preoccupied?
Creak.
As the thought of going to find her crossed my mind, I opened the office door and found Selvier waiting right outside. She immediately initiated what could only be described as a WWE move.
"Ugh... Ah... Ack..."
With the most awkward exclamations, she stumbled and fell towards me, her movements appearing in slow motion. To someone less familiar with performance art, it might seem like she simply tripped, but her intent was clear to me—it was deliberate, an act.
This was a Curious-Type Attack based on the trope of "Romantic Comedy Setup," with a combo of "Plenty of Gaps" and "Unstoppable ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) Force." It was a clumsy approach meant to initiate physical contact with the protagonist while portraying a ditzy character.
In some scenarios, it could escalate into a more aggressive appeal, like falling and ending up in an accidental kiss.
Did she wait outside my office for ten minutes just to pull off this cute trick? Her movements lacked refinement, and the presentation felt lacking. I do appreciate a bit of flirtation, but if she’s challenging me in my area of expertise, I can't help but feel competitive.
Strong offense is often best met with gentle deflection.
The heroine's Accidental Fall can be countered with a Swift Reflexes maneuver to intercept, turning the tables with ease.
I stepped around Selvier’s footwork, smoothly wrapped an arm around her waist, and spun us around, ending in a pose reminiscent of a grand finale in a ballroom dance.
In the most theatrical voice I could muster, I said, "Are you hurt, my lady?"
"Ugh...!!"
"Here’s some advice, Selvier. Setting the stage and drawing someone in like this can feel forced and risky. Players tend to stray when the game master’s hand becomes too apparent."
Standing outside my office door for ten minutes just to enact a romantic comedy scene highlighted Selvier’s inexperience.
What if I hadn’t come out? Setting the stage is fine, but the plan must also consider how to draw the other person in.
Personally, I would have used props.
Maybe something moderately heavy... like a stack of papers. I'd arrive at the door, hands full, and say, "Professor, could you help me with the door?" When the door opens, I’d stumble, scattering papers to obscure vision and conveniently creating an opening to fall into someone’s arms.
Selvier, caught in the act and faced with my counter, turned beet red and shouted, "If you knew I was trying to flirt, couldn’t you just... play along for once?!"
"I couldn’t possibly. I have a reputation to uphold as the Empire’s top beauty. If I just played along with that sloppy attempt, Daisy would scold me."
"Who’s that supposed to be... Never mind. Why did you call me here?"
"Ah."
I lifted Selvier and seated her on the sofa, then sat across from her to discuss the main issue: the prize for Baek Seol’s victory.
Selvier fanned her blushing face to cool down, then casually offered her thoughts.
"She probably only challenged for the top spot to prove herself. Just listing her name at the top of the rankings should be enough for her."
"Hmm... That’s too simple. Even if she’s satisfied, I wouldn’t be."
"Then, how about giving her glasses? Since Baek Seol’s Awakened Form involves manipulating her field of vision, glasses that can automatically open and close might work..."
"Oh."
It was a decent suggestion. From observing Baek Seol’s battles, I noticed she uses her fingers to block her vision as part of her Awakening technique. A single lens that automatically obscures vision would be convenient, but...
"But... it lacks style. I don’t like it."
"Huh?"
"I mean, the way she blocks her vision with her fingers looks so cool. It has a ceremonial feel to it. Taking that away would be a huge aesthetic loss."
"...Or we could just make her a small statue? She’d probably like it, given her narcissistic tendencies."
I snapped my fingers. Perfect.
We’ll create a Hall of Fame at the Academy and place her as the inaugural champion. We’ll have to think about the pose and outfit, but that idea is taking shape nicely.
Relieved, I turned to Selvier and asked, "Oh, Selvier. Are you free tomorrow? I’ll need you for a couple of days."
"...Is this a date?"
"Not quite. It’s work."
"Work, then."
Do you remember the time with the elves? The incident caused by Bennett and the Mad Crow in the elven forest, and the aftermath?
The Mad Crow sowed feelings of affection among the elves to reduce the threat of their pursuit. Due to the elves’ telepathic connection through the World Tree, the emotion spread quickly, leading the entire elven tribe to develop subtle feelings toward Bennett and me.
I promised to return their sacred relic and reinforce the security vulnerabilities in their bond of emotions. I returned the relic. Now, it’s time to fulfill the second part of that promise.
Give and take. The elves deserve compensation too.
"......"
Selvier’s expression turned sour. She seemed to remember the time when lingerie-clad elven rangers showed affection toward me.
She began to fidget, tugging at the hem of her shirt as if considering something.
"Don’t even think about it."
"......"
"If you believe the most effective counter to lingerie is lingerie... that’s a naive approach. I don’t know who you’re learning from, but it’s ineffective. If you want, I can give you a personalized lesson on—"
"I don’t want flirting lessons from the person I like!"
Then do it right.
"I’ll go, even if I have to make time for it. Are the other two coming as well?"
"No, just you and me."
"...Why? Not that I was expecting anything. I’m not expecting anything. I’m sure the other two are busy with some crucial mission involving your fate."
"Not really. The reason I’m picking you is simply that you’re the one I need for this task."
Selvier’s expression showed a hint of confusion. She couldn't understand why I’d choose her, a recent Awakener, over seasoned powerhouses with Awakened Forms.
I could sense a faint touch of insecurity about her own abilities. Awakening is a prestigious achievement even within the Empire, but with such exceptional rivals, she couldn’t fully celebrate.
If it were a battle, I would certainly have called upon Yuna and Yuri.
I know how hard Selvier works, but that doesn’t mean I would overlook a better option.
However, this situation is different.
I softened my voice and asked, "Hypothetically... just hypothetically... If I decided to abandon my humanity for my own happiness, how would you respond?"
"...What?"
"Let me give you a specific example. Suppose I needed a rabbit’s liver to carve out something within my mind. I decided to kill Baek Seol, extract her soul, and devour it."
"..."
She looked bewildered by my question, as if she didn’t understand why I was asking. After a moment of warning that she’d be genuinely angry if this was a joke, she answered.
"I’d stop you."
"Even though you love me?"
"Because I love you. Whether something possessed you, you hit your head, or someone manipulated you... if you made that choice, you’d regret it one day. How could I stand by and let that happen?"
"Yes, that’s the answer I wanted. That’s... the difference between you and Yuna and Yuri."
If it were Yuna, she’d go out of her way to hunt the rabbit and bring me the liver. She’d likely gather extra prey as well, even if I didn’t ask.
Yuri would respond calmly, saying, "Understood," and execute my will to the letter. If it was truly my decision, even if it involved slaughtering the Empire’s citizens, she would carry it out.
But Selvier’s scales are different. She would resist with all her might if I went astray. That’s why I chose her.
"Of course, I’m not suddenly planning to turn dark or anything. The elves gave me a side request, but it’s... complicated."
"Complicated in terms of difficulty?"
"More in terms of moral balance. It’s a nuanced, delicate matter without a clear right or wrong. It’s like... relationship counseling."
I was asked to improve the emotional bond’s security vulnerability. It’s part of that work.
I received a letter from an elven ranger, detailing a personal dilemma.
Since my interactions, relations between elves and the Empire improved. Even the offense against Second Prince Erid was resolved amicably. Exchanges between elves and humans began.
Elves started visiting the nearby city of Elphiris.
During one such exchange, an elven ranger fell in love with a human man, A.
If it were any other race, there’d be no issue. They could love, bear children, and live happily. But the emotional bond complicates things.
If they proceed with the emotional bonding while in love, that love will spread across the World Tree network like a virus. Like the Mad Crow’s trick.
In this case, every elven sibling will feel the same affection for human A. I can envision the chaos that would follow.
But if she abstains from the bond, she’ll gradually be excluded from the wild elf community. It’s inevitable since elves bond closely by sharing and reading each other’s emotions.
Choosing human A means losing her entire elven family.
The elf in the letter seemed deeply torn between love and family, self and community.
"...That is a complex problem."
"The elf left the decision to me, so however I decide, that will be the conclusion of this story. That’s... what troubles me."
Yuna and Yuri would go along with whatever I decided, but I needed someone who could challenge and scrutinize my decision.
Selvier, who knew heartbreak, was a fitting choice.
Also—
"Maybe... it could provide insights into our relationship. It’s been dragged out, hasn’t it?"
"..."
"I haven’t made a decision yet, but I promise—at the end of this story, I’ll answer your confession."
Dragging it out any longer wouldn’t be fair. The fact that I avoided addressing it reflects my own flaws. But the weight of all these feelings has made it hard for me to decide.
For now, Yuna and Yuri said they were fine.
Yuna seemed desperate enough to endure anything as long as she remained by my side, even if I had other girlfriends.
Yuri, on the other hand, was confident she could always bring me back. Her resilience, both mental and physical, is unshakable.
Betrayal, tolerance, sympathy, love. Too many things are suspended on the scale, making it hard to measure. But it must end someday. Chekhov's gun must go off.
Now, it’s my and Selvier’s turn to decide—how to address the abundant love directed my way, and my response.
Selvier nodded, her eyes a mixture of unease and anticipation.
"...Alright. Just wait and see."
"We leave at dawn. Pack light. We’re teleporting."
"Get ready. I won’t back down!"
With a determined declaration, she strode off, her red hair swaying as she disappeared from view.
I began packing for the short trip.